I Loved Her First
by Shadow Padawan
Summary: AU 23 or so years postROTS where Anakin never turned to the DS Leia is engaged and Anakin is reluctant to let her go. AP, HL. Songfic.


**_Disclaimer: Star Wars belongs to George Lucas. The song "I loved her First" belongs to Heartland._**

**_A/N:_ _I am writing way out of my comfort zone so go easy on me!_ **

**_

* * *

_**

**Look at the two of you dancin' that way  
Lost in the moment and each other's face  
So much in love, you're alone in this place  
Like there's nobody else in the world**

The large hall sparked with light. The rich decorations of gold and silver reflected the light of the glowlamps and sparked blindingly. The band was playing a tune that was wedged somewhere in the middle of a fast and slow score.

The ladies in their fine colorful dresses waltzed gracefully with their cavaliers, gliding gracefully over the polished floor.

The engagement ball of Senator Leia Skywalker was one of the finest Coruscant had seen in years.

The young senator was in the center of the dance floor, one hand on her partner's shoulder and the other in his. She had donned a flowing green dress for the night, the one that her fiancé loved so much on her.

"Really, Leia, must we go through all this…farce…just to get hitched?"

"Han Solo! This is not a farce! And haven't I asked you repeatedly not to use that word in reference to our marriage? This is no silly matter!"

Han laughed, smiling at how easy it was to rile Leia up. "Yes, Milady," Han drawled and pulled away from her to give an exaggerated bow.

"You're impossible," Leia huffed as Han pulled her back in his arms.

Han smiled at her and then drew her up on tiptoes to draw her into a long kiss. The world dissipated around them until they were the only ones there with the tendrils of the music weaving in and out of their surreal world of passion.

**I was enough for her not long ago  
I was her number one, she told me so  
And she still means the world to me  
Just so you know  
So be careful when you hold my girl**

"It's not polite to stare, Anakin."

"What the—" Anakin Skywalker jumped at the sudden intrusion on his moody musings and spun around to face the older Jedi who had addressed him. "Obi-Wan! I thought I told you NOT to sneak up on me like that! I am armed you know."

"What's gotten into you lately, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked, crossing her arms over his chest.

"Nothing's wrong…" Anakin muttered, turning away to stare out at the dance floor again.

Obi-Wan watched his fried for a while, following Anakin's gaze to where Leia and Han were dancing, lost in what seemed like a very passionate kiss. "She has to grow up sometime, Anakin," Obi-Wan reasoned.

"But I don't want her too. I know she HAS to grow up but… No one will ever be good enough for my little girl. Especially not HIM."

Obi-Wan laughed. "I think you're just going to have to trust her on this one, my friend."

Anakin pouted. He wasn't exactly happy with his daughter's choice. He was a smuggler for Force sakes! It was so much better when HE was the only man in his little angel's life. Oh this was ridiculous! He was jealous! No…no he wasn't jealous. If it was any other man it wouldn't be this way. Just look at the way this guy's kissing her! In public!

"You shouldn't be so jealous, Anakin."

"Shut up, Obi-Wan."

**Time changes everything  
Life must go on  
And I'm not gonna stand in your way**

_"So…you're engaged to this Han Solo. You are aware of what his profession entails aren't you?" _

"Yes, Dad I know. He's a good man, though. An honest man."

Anakin closed his eyes. Love could be so deceptive sometimes. But he had to admit that when he had spoken to Han he had sensed no deceit from him. It seemed like the man really did love his little girl.

"Do you love him, Leia?" He already knew the answer to that question but he wanted to hear it from her.

"Yes, Daddy. I love him."

Anakin looked into his daughter's eyes and realized that no Force perception was needed to see the love his daughter had for Solo.

"Alright got get ready for your…ah…date."

Leia ran into his arms and after a quick hug dashed off to get ready for her date with Han.

Anakin stood by the window, contemplating the future and wondering why he couldn't feel as happy for Leia as he should. A warm pair of arms wrapped around his waist and Anakin relaxed into the loving presents of his wife. "You have to let her go, Ani," Padme murmured in his ear.

"Don't worry, Angel," Anakin replied softly as he watched Han's speeder hand on the landing pad. "I won't stand in his way."

**I loved her first  
I held her first  
And a place in my heart  
Will always be hers  
From the first breath she breathed  
When she first smiled at me  
I knew the love of a father runs deep  
And I prayed that she'd find you someday  
But it's still hard to give her away  
I loved her first**

_"It's a girl," the med droid announced, passing Anakin a wailing baby girl. _

"Layla?" Padme asked quietly when Anakin looked down at her.

"How about Leia?"

"It's perfect."

Anakin returned his gaze back to the small child in his arms. Her face was all scrunched up as she wailed. And still she was so…beautiful. "Leia…" Anakin said softly, trying the name out. It sounded so right.

As the med-droid took the child away from him Anakin felt an intense wave of protectiveness wash over him. "Where are you taking them?" he demanded, motioning to the two squirming babies in the med-droid's arms.

"We must clean them up and let the doctor check them to make sure all is well," the droid replied mechanically.

"Oh… right…" Anakin watched the droid disappear through a pair of doors before turning back to Padme. "They're so…beautiful…"

Padme smile up at her husband. "Yes, they are."

**How could that beautiful woman with you  
Be the same freckled-face kid that I knew  
The one that I read all those fairytales to  
And tucked into bed all those nights**

_"One more story, Daddy! Please!" Five year old Leia Skywalker didn't like to go to bed. Really, the child's energy was abundant at all times of day it seemed. _

"It's late, Leia."

"Owh, Daddy, just one more story! About the Jedi!"

Anakin finally gave in and settled back down for another story. If the Clone Wars had been good for anything it was providing lots of adventure stories for overly hyper younglings. Padme and Anakin had decided to train Luke as a Jedi but let their daughter have a life of her choice. Luke had fallen asleep a while ago, exhausted from the training Anakin had put him through that afternoon, but Leia still listened with wrapped attention.

But after some time her eyes started to close and she would drift off for several moments. Anakin finally used a gentle Force suggestion to guide her into sleep.

"Using the Force on you own children, Anakin?" Padme asked quietly from the doorway.

Anakin smiled, tucking Leia in. "She wouldn't go to sleep, much more stubborn then her brother."

"It's all your genes," Padme commented as Anakin enveloped her in a warm embrace.

"Are you sure about that?" He kissed her gently. Just him, his wife, and the kids. These were the perfect evenings.

**And I knew the first time I saw you with her  
It was only a matter of time**

_Leia had had many boyfriends throughout her teenage years. Some of them better then others, some relationships lengthier then other or smoother then others. But they never resulted in much. A few dances, a few dinners, walks in the park, a night of cuddling in front of the holovision, and then a breakup that was not much more then a temporary disappointment. Leia had not yet truly been in love. _

At least not until now…

There was something about the way she looked at this young man. The way he looked at her. Something in the way she smiled when she said his name, but denied it with everything she had. Something about the adorable way they bickered was so very different from all the rest.

"Have her home by 2300 hours! And that's standard time!" Anakin shouted to the young man as the couple climbed into his speeder.

"Sure thing, Mister Skywalker!" the young man called back with a cocky grin. And then they were off.

"This Ham guy is something else, isn't he, Angel?" Anakin asked his wife who had come up beside him.

"It's Han, love, not Ham."

**I loved her first  
I held her first  
And a place in my heart  
Will always be hers**

"Are you happy, Leia?"

She nodded, smiling happily. "I know we belong together. I don't know how…but I do."

"Perhaps it is meant to be," Anakin agreed. "I love you, Leia. I only want you to be happy."

"I love you too, Daddy." She came into his arms, freely and without hesitation, even though they were in a room full of people.

Anakin smiled as he held her close and the thought came that maybe Han wasn't taking away his daughter from him, not entirely.

**I loved her first**

He would just have to get use to sharing.


End file.
